Railway hopper car construction



.Im. 27, 1942.x

H. W. REYNOLDS I'AL RAILWAY 'HOPPER CR CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Oct. 9, 1959 hwk | MNHN.

Qmw NNW INVENTORS Jan. 27', 1942. H. w. REYNOLDS ETAL 2,271,464

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed 001,. 9, 1959- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS H. w. REYNOLDS ETAL RAILWAY HOPPER GAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct.9, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS RAILWAY HOPPER CAR CONSTRUCTION Filedout. 9, 1959 l 4 sheets-sheet 4 526/ l,.JFNTOR@ Patented Jan. 27, 1942UNITED STATES PATENToFFicE RAILWAY HOPPER CAR CONSTRUCTION I n Henry W.Reynolds and Edward C. Roesener,

Roanoke, Va.

Application October 9, 1939, Serial No. 298,542

r8 Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of railway freight cars ofthe hopper type, ordinarily used for the transportation of coal, sand,gravel and other granular material.

One object of our invention is to provide a car of light weight, havingthe floor and hoppers constructed of a minimum number of parts, a numberof said parts being identical and of such designthat they may befabricated from rectangu.. lar sheets without any scrap being left.

Another object of our invention is to provide means for bracing the sidewalls of the car with a minimum amount of obstruction to power oper atedbuckets used for loading and unloading the car. The brace means employedare of such construction as to offer resistance to distortion whenstruck by a bucket.

Another object of our invention is to provide a floor and hopperconstruction which will offer a minimum amount of obstruction to thelading doors are opened.

A still further objectof our invention is to provide a floor and hopperconstructionv which may be readily assembled as a unit or units andinstalled in the car.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will appear from thefollowing detail description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. I isa fragmentary view in longitudinal section of a hopper car embodying ourinvention, the section being taken as indicated by the arrows I-I inFig. II.

Fig. II is a fragmentary plan section view taken as indicated by thearrows II-II in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a fragmentary view in transverse section, on a larger scale,taken as indicated by the arrows IIL-III in Fig. II.

' Figs. IV and V are views like Figs. III and I- respectively, showing amodified embodiment of our invention.

Figs. VI, VII, VIII and IX, are sections on an` be as equally wellemployed, in which case the top cover plate 3 would not be required. Oneof the side sills is indicated at 5;.. the side wall at B and the sidewall supportingvstakes at 1,. 'Ihe upper end of the side stakesl areconnected by a top rail 8. The end slopesheets of the car,in dicated bythe. numeral I4, are integral with the end wall sheets. All of theforegoing is more o1' less usual practice in the art. y

The floor construction consists of the end slope sheets I4,transverseridgesheets 9, longitudinal hood sheets I5, together with aplurality of 'hoppers disposed on each side ofthe center sill. Thetransverse ridge sheets 9 extend fromside wall to side wall and arerigidly secured to the side walls and to the side sills 5 by welding,indicated by the numeral I0. Where the transverse ridge sheets overliethe center sill they are cut out to t the center sill and arev rigidlysecured thereto by welding, indicated bythe numeral I2.

Extending longitudinally of the car and overlying the center sill wehave provided longituditudinal 'hood'.sheets', all of the same designand fabrication, permitting them to be manufactured in large quantitieskwith substantial saving in costs. These longitudinal hood sheets arerigidly secured 'to the transverse ridge sheets 9 and to the end slopesheet 'I4 by welding, as indicated at I6.

Disposed ion each side of the center sill we have provided a'pluralityof hoppers, each comprising an inside side sheet I l, and an outsideside sheet I8, and a slope sheet I9. The hopper door and door frame havebeen omitted from 'F the drawings for the purpose of showing more insidehopper side sheet I'I and to the outside'` Y hopper -side sheet I8 bywelding as indicatedv by the numeralA 20. The inside hopper side sheetI1 is likewise rigidlysecured to the longitudinal hood sheet I5 bywelding, indicated at 2|; rThe outside hopper side sheet I8 is securedin a like manner to thel side sill 5, as indicatedl by the numeral 22. I

The hopper slope sheet I9, of the hoppers at the ends of the car arerigidlyv secured to the end slope sheets I4, by welding, as indicated at23, while on the hoppers intermediate of theend hoppers the slope sheetI9 is secured in a like manner to the transverse ridge sheet 9, asindicated at 24.

Referring now moreparticularly to Figs. I,`III. VI, VII, VIII and IX, wehave provided novel'and new brace means for the side walls Aoi. the car.

The brace means comprise an integral cast brace 25, having substantiallyvertical flanges 26 engaging the side walls 6 and rigidly securedthereto and to the coacting side stakes l by means of rivets. The brace25 where it engages and rests upon the transverse ridge sheet 9, has aared out portion or foot, indicated by the numeral 28, conforming to thetop and sides of the peaked transverse ridge sheet. The rivet 29 isprovided in the bottom of the brace 25 for the purpose of aligning theside wall sheets 6 in a vertical plane until the foot of the brace canbe rigidly secured to the transverse ridge sheet by welding, indicatedat 21. The brace 25 comprises a hollow U section with converging legs 30and 3|, one of the legs, as indicated by the numeral 32, being extendedand terminating in a bulb section 3'3. A plurality of openings 34 areprovided in one of the legs of the U section for the purpose ofproviding anchorage for the cores and for removing the cores from thecasting after the casting has been removed from the mould.

Figs. IV and V'disclose a modified embodiment of our invention whereinthe longitudinal hood sheets are integral with the inside hopper sidesheets; and the transverse ridge sheets and the integral end wall andendslope sheets are integral with adjacent hopper slope sheets. Theinside hoper side sheets I'l are inclined inwardly and upwardly over thecenter sill forming the sides'of the longitudinal hood sheets l5 and arerigidly secured tor Veach other by welding at the top of the peak asindicated by the numeral 35. The hopper slope sheet I9 of the hoppers atthe ends of the car are integral with the integral end wall and endslope sheets i4, The hopper slope sheet I9 of the hoppers intermediateof the end hoppers is Aintegral With a transverse ridge sheet 9. Theseembodiments reduce the number of pieces in the floor structure of thecar with a corref sponding decrease in the number of joints or seams.

Figs. X and XI disclose a further embodiment of our invention wherein Wehave provided end caps 36 for the longitudinal hood sheets l5. Thesecaps are provided for two purposes. In the fabrication of thelongitudinal hood sheets, when the end c'aps are used, no scrap isformed, the sheets being cut from rectangular plates. Further, when thelongitudinal hood sheets are made in one piece, without the end caps, itis often difficult to secure a proper close nt between the longitudinalhood sheets and the transverse ridge sheets and the integral end walland end slope sheets to which the longitudinal hood sheets are welded.With the embodiment disclosed, the longitudinal hood sheets can berigidly secured to the inside hopper side sheets I1 asv indicated at 2lthe hood sheets and inside hopper side sheets can then be placed inposition; the end caps 36 then placed in position and rigidly, securedto adjacent transverse ridge sheets 9 and to adjacent integral end Walland end slope sheets I4 by welding, as indicated at I6. The seam betweenthe hood sheet l5 and the end caps 36 is a welded lap seam indicated at31, which takes care of any variations in the required overall length ofthe vhood sheet that may be necessary to secure a close nt between thehood .sheet and the transverse ridge sheets and the integral end walland end slope sheets.

To secure the transverse ridge sheets 9 and the integral end wall andend slope sheets I4 in proper relationship to the center sill l, andother associated parts of the car until the welding hereinto previouslyreferred to can be performed, we have provided |a flange 38 which issecured to the center sills by the rivets 39. The flanges 38 are formedas follows: When the transverse ridge sheets and the integral end walland end slope sheets are cut out where they nt over the center sill, asindicated at 40, a portion of the cut-out section is cut oi and theremainder turned out to form a ange 38.

In the 'assembling of the car, the floor members comprising thetransverse ridge sheets; the longitudinal hood sheets;` and the hoppers,as units or the individual members thereof, may be assembled'on a fornior template and then placed in position in the car and rigidly securedto the car by welding.

A modied method of assembling consists of rigidly securingA thetransverse ridge sheets and the longitudinal hood sheets in position inthe car by welding; installing the hoppers as units and rigidly securingthem to the car by welding.

.A still further modified method of assembling the car consists ofrigidly securing the transverse ridge sheets and thev end slope sheetst'o the center sill by means of the rivets 39; welding the inside hopperside sheet to the longitudinal hood sheets and then placing thelongitudinal hood sheets in position over thecenter sill and securingthe inside hopper side sheets to the center sill by means of tie bar 4;rigidly securing the side sills and the cast brace means to the sidewalls and then placing the side walls in position; rigidly securing thecast brace means to the transverse ridge sheets by means of the rivets29; placing the outside hopper side sheets and the hopper slope sheetsin position; welding the transverse ridge sheets to the side Walls andto the side sills; welding the longitudinal hood sheets to adjacenttransverse ridge sheets and to adjacent integral end wall and end slopesheets; welding the side walls to the integral end wall and end slopesheets; welding the cast brace means to the transverse ridge sheets;welding the outside hopper sheets to the side sills and the hopper slopesheets; welding the hopper slope sheets to the inside hopper side sheetsand to adjacent transverse ridge sheets to adjacent integral end walland end slope sheets.

Where the longitudinal hood sheets end caps are employed they are rstwelded to the transverse ridge sheets and to the integral end wall andend slope sheets and then to the hood sheets.

It will be readily seen that we have provided a hopper car ofcomparatively light weight, having a floor and hopper constructionconsisting of a relatively few parts. In the embodiment disclosed inFigs. I to III inclusive, the two integral end wall and end slope sheetsI4 of the car are the same; the hoppers as units are the same; and thelongitudinal hood sheets l5 are also the same. The inside hopper sidesheets; the outside hopper side sheets; and the slope sheets are thesame on all hoppers and may be cut from rectangular sheets with aminimum loss as scrap. In the embodiment disclosed in Figs. X and XI thelongitudinal hood sheets vand the end caps are .the same and may be cutfrom rectangular sheets with no loss as scrap.

The design of the cast brace 25, in addition to being such that itoffers aminimum amount of obstruction to power operated buckets used forloading and unloading the car, is of such construction that it offers amaximum resistance to distortion by being struck byi'a bucket.

The employment of few seams in the floor construction and in the hoppersand such seams being welded provides a rigid construction which offersvery little, if any obstruction to the lading of the car flowing freelyout of the bottom of the car when the hopper doors are opened.

Ihe construction of the oor and hoppers is such that several methods ofassembling may be employed, which will greatly reduce the time and costof building the car.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a railway hopper car: the combination of a center sill; sidesills; side Walls; integral end wall and end slope sheets; transverseridge sheets recessed to receive the center sill and resting thereon,the said transverse ridge sheets extending from side wall to side walland directly welded to said side walls, side sills and center sill;brace means rigidly secured to the side walls and the transverse ridgesheets; longitudinal hood sheets overlying the center sill and rigidlysecured to adjacent transverse ridge sheets and to adjacent integral endWall and end slope sheets by welding; hoppers, comprising an inside andan outside side sheet and a slope sheet, said hopper sheets having theiradjacent portions rigidly secured to each other by welding; said hoppersrigidly secured to the car by welding.

2. In a railway hopper car: a plurality of members comprising sidesills; center sill; side walls; integral end wall and end slope sheets;vtransverse ridge sheets extending' from side wall to side wall andcontacting same, said transverse ridge sheets being recessed to receivesaid center sill and resting thereon; longitudinal hood sheets overlyingthe center sill; and hoppers disposed on each side of said center sill,each comprising an inside and outside side sheet and a slope sheet; theadjacent portions of said members being directly secured to eachother bywelding.

3. In a railway hopper car: the combination of a center sill; sidesills; side walls; integral end Wall and end slope sheets; transverseridge sheets recessed to receive said center sill and resting thereonand directly welded thereto, the ends of the transverse ridge sheetsrigidly secured to the side walls and the side sills by welding; bracemeans rigidly secured to the side walls and the transverse ridge sheets;hoppers, comprising an inside and an outside side sheet and a slopesheet; adjacent portions of said hopper sheets rigidly secured to eachother by welding; the outside hopper side sheets rigidly secured to theside sills by welding; the inside hopper side sheets inclined upwardlyand inwardly over the center sill to form longitudinal hood sheets; theedges of the inside hopper side sheets being rigid ly secured to eachother by welding where they come together in a peak over the centersill; said longitudinal hood sheets rigidly secured to adjacenttransverse ridge sheets and to adjacent integral end wall and end slopesheets by welding; said hopper slope sheets being integral with adjacentintegral end wall and end slope sheets and with adjacent transverseridge sheets.

4. In a railway hopper car: the combination of a center sill; transverseridge sheets recessed to receive the center sill and resting thereon anddirectly welded thereto; and hoppers, each comprising an inside sidesheet, an outside side sheet, and a slope sheet, the inside side sheetinclined upwardl'y and inwardly over the center sill to form alongitudinal hood sheet, the edges of the inside side sheets of adjacenthoppers on opposite sides of the center sill being rigidly secured toeach other by welding Where they come together in a peak over the centersill.

5. In a railway hopper car: the combination of side walls; a centersill; and hoppers each comprising an inside and an outside side sheetand a slope sheet; transverse ridge sheets extending from side wall toside Wall and secured thereto by welding, said transverse ridge sheethaving a side wall inclined downwardly forming the slope sheet for saidhoppers, the transverse ridge sheets being recessed to receive saidcenter sill and resting thereon and welded directly thereto.

6. In a railway hopper car: a center sill; side walls; transverse ridgesheets extending from side wall to side wall and secured thereto bywelding; hoppers, each comprising an inside and an outside side sheetand a slope sheet; integral end wall and end slope sheets inclineddownwardly forming the slope sheet for said hoppers, said integral endwall and end slope sheets secured to said side walls and to said insideand outside hopper sheets by welding; the said transverse ridge sheetsbeing recessed to receive said center sill and resting thereon andwelded directly thereto.

7. In a railway hopper car: the combination of a center sill;longitudinal hood sheets overlying the center sill; side walls;transverse ridge sheets extending from side wall to side wall andsecured thereto by welding; integral end wall and end slope sheets; andhoppers disposed on each side of said center sill; said hopperscomprising an inside and an outside side sheet and a slope sheet rigidlysecured to each other and to the car by welding; the said hopper slopesheet of the end hoppers being integral with an end wall and end slopesheet; the said hopper slope sheet of the hoppers between the endhoppers being integral with a transverse ridge sheet; said transverseridge sheets being recessed to receive said center sill and restingthereon and welded directly thereto.

8. In a railway hopper car: the combination of a center sill; sidewalls; integral end wall and end slope sheets rigidly secured to saidside Walls by welding, transverse ridge sheets recessed to receive saidcenter sill and resting thereon and rigidly welded thereto and to theside walls; cast brace members rigidly secured to the transverse ridgesheets by welding; hoppers comprising inside side sheets; longitudinalhood sheets rigidly secured to the top portion of the inside hopper sidesheets, to adjacent transverse ridge sheets, and to integral end walland end slope sheets by welding; separate means comprising rivetssecuring the transverse ridge sheets, the cast brace members and theinside hopper side sheets in position while the welding referred to isbeing performed.

HENRY W. REYNOLDS.

EDWARD C. ROESENER.

